GB2193875A

GB2193875A - A method for reducing health risks during the handling of packages of non-sterilized foodstuffs

Info

Publication number: GB2193875A
Application number: GB08717713A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lennart Ahrne
Original assignee: Tetra Pak AB
Current assignee: Tetra Pak AB
Priority date: 1986-08-14
Filing date: 1987-07-27
Publication date: 1988-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 2007-07-27
Also published as: GB2193875B; JPS6368064A; GB8717713D0; SE8603420L; JP2529700B2; US4894243A; SE8603420D0

Description

GB2193875A 1 SPECIFICATION ized foodstuff during transport, storage etc.

were to be exposed accidentally to conditions A method for reducing health risks during which depart from the recommended, pre the handling of packages of non-sterilized scribed handling and which in special, unfa foodstuffs 70 vourable cases may bring about a growth and multiplication of quality-impairing micro-organ The present invention relates to a method for isms, in particular pathogenic bacteria, in the reducing health risks during the handling of packaged product which are unacceptable packaged, non-sterilized foodstuffs in connec- from a point of view of health.

tion with transport, temporary storage etc. 75 Accordingly, the present invention provides prior to consumption. a method for reducing the health risks during Foodstuffs are generally furnished at present the handling of a packaged non-sterilized food- in complete, closed consumer packages which stuff comprising adding innocuous bacteria to are formed, filled and closed in conventional the foodstuff before, during and/or directly 16 packing machines and subsequently are trans- 80 following the packaging of the foodstuff into a ported further so as ultimately to reach the packing container in a quantity sufficient to individual consumer. Where such sensitive compete out, and thereby prevent multiplica products such as milk and similar dairy pro- tion of, undesirable, particularly pathogenic, ducts are concerned it will be readily under- bacteria in the packaged product.

stood that the packaging and the following 85 The foodstuff is preferebly milk or a simi- handling of the packaged article have to be larly sensitive dairy product and the inocuous carried out under specially monitored condi- bacteria added are chosen among the strains tions in order to keep the packaged product Lactobacillus, Lactococci and Leuconostocci.

as free as possible from harmful, in particular The chosen bacteria are preferably added to pathogenic, bacteria which would rapidly im- 90 the milk or other dairy product in the form of pair the quality of the product and even render a liquid suspension containing at least 100 it actually unfit for consumption. The product cfu/ml.

which is to be packaged is subjected, there- Suitably, the chosen bacteria are suspended fore, as a rule, to some kind of bactericidal in a small volume fraction of the milk or other pretreatment and if, for example, milk is con- 95 product which is to be packaged and said cerned such a pretreatment means that the suspension is added to the said product. The milk prior to packaging is heated or pasteur- bacteria suspension is preferably prepared by ized in order to reduce the risk of survival of suspending the bacteria in freeze-dried condi harmful micro-organisms to a prescribed low tion.

level acceptable from the point of view of 100 The invention will now be described and ex- health. The packaged, pre-heated (non-steril- plained in greater detail as applied to pack ized) product subsequently has to be kept aged, non-sterilized milk, but, to be fair, it cooled (below 7-10'C) during the guaranteed should be added that the invention, of course, keeping period up to the time of consumption, is not limited in any way to the particular so as to create the most unfavourable condi- 105 example chosen here, but applications to tions possible for the growth and multiplica- packaged, non-sterilized foodstuffs in general tion of any harmful micro-organisms which naturally are possible and should be obvious have survived the pretreatment of the product. to those versed in the art.

Even if the packaging and the subsequent As mentioned previously milk is packaged handling of the packaged product take place 110 and furnished as a rule in complete consumer normally and in the great majority of cases packages which are formed, filled and closed under the conditions for maintaining the pro- in a conventional packing machine on the spot duct at least during the guaranteed keeping in a dairy, and transported from there to a period of the same as free from health risks shop and further to the consumer. A well as possible, it is almost impossible neverthe- 115 known package of this type is a Tetra-Brik less in practice to guard in each individual in- (registered trade-mark) package which is man stance against accidental disturbances of, and ufactured in that a web of packing material departures from, the normal, recommended (usually plastic-coated paper) is converted first handling. Thus it may happen, for example, to a tube by joining together the longitudinal that the packaged, non-sterilized product dur- 120 edges of the web, whereafter the tube is filled ing transport or handling is exposed acciden- with the intended contents (e.g. milk) and is tally to temperatures above the highest perdivided into individual consumer packages by missible temperature (7-10C) because of un- means of transverse sealing of the filled tube foreseen accidental failures in a cooling sys- package with shaping and finally separation of tem, which at worst may bring about a certain 125 the packages by means of cuts in the increase of surviving harmful micro-organisms transverse sealing zones.

in the packaged article. The milk which is to be packaged in such a It is an object of the present invention, package is subjected first to a pretreatment therefore, to reduce the health risks which which in the first place aims at eliminating may arise possibly if a packaged, non-steril- 130 disease-provoking (pathogenic) bacteria and re- 2 GB2193875A 2 ducing the number of quality-impairing, harmful example, in that the bacteria, preferably in micro-organisms to prescribed, healthwise ac- freeze-dry condition, are suspended in a first ceptable, low levels and which in most cases small fraction of the milk or the product which means that the milk is heated to a given tem- is to be packaged, in a storage tank in a perature/time scheme and thereafter is cooled 70 direct connection to the product duct of the and packaged. Such a pretreatment (e.g. pas- packing machine, and are metered out from teurization) is quite sufficient for the complete this tank in suitable amounts into the product elimination of living pathogens, that is to say stream in the main duct or in a branch duct disease-provoking bacteria, but is, on the connected to the main duct for a small vol- other hand, insufficient for the achievement of 75 ume fraction of the milk or other product a complete killing of so-called spores which which is to be packaged.

are more resistant, and generally survive these As has been pointed out earlier, the pre- treatments. Such surviving organisms involve treated (pasteurized) non- sterilized milk only normally no health risks for the consumer, if constitutes one example of a foodstuff whose the packaged product during its guaranteed 80 handling can be made safe from a point of keeping period is handled according to pre- view of health by the method in accordance scribed recommendations and thus is not ex- with the invention, but it will be very obvious posed to growth-provoking temperatures. to those versed in the art, that the concept of However, as mentioned previously, it may the invention may be applied to similar, sensi happen in unfavourable cases that the product 85 tive dairy goods and other types of foodstuff at least temporarily, may Meet with unforewhich are to be packaged and handled (trans seen operational failures during transport, sto- ported, temporarily stored etc.) prior to con rage etc., and so as to minimize the health sumption. Irrespective of the type of foodstuff risks which such accidental disturbances dur- concerned, the result aimed at from a point of ing handling may bring about, a culture of 90 view of health is thus achieved in accordance harmless bacteria is added to the pretreated with the invention in that to the product cho milk before and/or directly following the filling sen, which is to be packaged, is added before into the package in a quantity sufficient to and/or directly following the packaging a cul compete out, and thereby prevent undesirable ture of innocuous bacteria of the type which increase of, surviving or reinfection bacteria 95 at temperatures above the highest temperature under the unfavourable circumstances here re- permissible for the packaged product produces ferred to-which may occur in connection with a sufficiently vigorous multiplication so as to transport, storage etc. of the packaged pro- compete out, and thereby prevent multiplica duct. The quantity of the harmless bacteria tion of, harmful micro- organisms which have thus added in accordance with the invention 100 survived the preceding product treatment or ought to be sufficiently large to guarantee the on subsequent occasions inadvertently have intended competing out of the undesirable mi- been allowed access to the packaged article.

cro-organisms.

Claims

An example of approropriate harmless bac- CLAIMS teria which may be added

to the pretreated 105 1. A method for reducing health risks dur- milk in accordance with the invention are care- ing the handling of a packaged non-sterilized fully selected strains of Lactobacillus, Lacto- foodstuff comprising adding innocuous bac cocci and Leuconostocci either by themselves teria to the foodstuff before, during and/or or in combination with one another. The bac- directly following the packaging of the food teria here mentioned should present a vigo- 110 stuff into a packing container in a quantity rous growth at temperatures 'above 7-10C, sufficient to compete out, and thereby prevent which are the highest permissible tempera- substantial multiplication of, undesirable, parti tures for packaged, non-sterilized milk and/or cularly pathogenic, bacteria in the packaged have the capacity of checking the growth of product.

any pathogenic bacteria possibly occurring, 115
2. A method in accordance with Claim 1, and the only effect the bacteria have on the wherein the foodstuff is milk or a similarly quality of the milk is that after a sufficiently sensitive dairy product and the innocuous bac long period of multiplication they impart-to the teria added are chosen among the strains Lac milk a slightly sourish taste which the con- tobacillus, Lactococci and Leuconostocci.

sumer can easily recognize, and he thus re- 120
3. A method in accordance with Claim 2, ceives a clear indication that the milk has in that the chosen bacteria are added to the been exposed to inappropriate handling, with- milk or other dairy product in the form of a out thereby being exposed himself to any se- - liquid suspension containing at least 100 rious health hazard. cfu/ml.

The harmless bacteria are added appropri- 125
4. A -method in accordance with Claim 3, ately in the form of a liquid suspension, and it wherein the chosen bacteria are suspended in is particularly appropriate inaccordance with a small volume fraction of the milk or other the invention for this addition to be carried product which is to be packaged and said out with the least possible mixing in of suspension is added to the said product.

"foreign" matter. This may be achieved, for 130
5. A method in accordance with Claim 3 3 GB2193875A 3 or Claim 4, wherein the bacteria suspension is prepared by suspending the bacteria in a freeze-dried condition.
6. A method for reducing health risks dur- ing the handling of a packaged non-sterilized foodstuff comprising adding innocuous bac teria to the foodstuff before, during and/or directly following the packaging of the food stuff into a packing container.
7. A foodstuff treated by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent B135 3RD.

Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.